The winner of the “Busan Award Grand Prize,” the top honor in the competition section of the Busan International Film Festival, will now be eligible for the Best International Feature Film category at the world-renowned Academy Awards.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) recently announced rule changes for the upcoming 99th Academy Awards, expanding the submission process for the Best International Feature Film. In addition to the official entry selected by each country’s Academy-approved selection committee (one per country), winners of the top prizes from six designated international film festivals will now be granted separate eligibility.
The six designated festivals and awards are the Busan International Film Festival (Busan Award Grand Prize), Cannes Film Festival (Palme d’Or), Berlin International Film Festival (Golden Bear), Venice International Film Festival (Golden Lion), Sundance Film Festival (World Cinema Grand Jury Prize), and Toronto International Film Festival (Platform Prize). Busan International Film Festival is the only one from Asia.
This means that as long as the Grand Prize winner of the Busan International Film Festival’s competition section meets the theater release and submission requirements, it can be submitted for consideration for the Best International Feature Film, separate from the official national selection process.
The way nominees are listed for Best International Feature Film is also changing. From now on, the film itself will be listed as the nominee rather than the country or region. When winning, the director will receive the award on behalf of the creative team. The Oscar trophy plaque will feature the film’s title followed by the director’s name, and the country or region will also be included where applicable.
Jung Han-seok, Executive Director of the Busan International Film Festival, stated, “Following our selection for the FIAPF ‘A-list,’ the Academy’s designation of the Busan International Film Festival as an officially certified festival for Oscar submissions is a remarkable example that proves the rapidly rising international level and status of the festival.” He added, “It is especially meaningful as this achievement comes just one year after the creation of the competition section. Moving forward, the competition section of the Busan International Film Festival will become an even more significant stage for discovering outstanding Asian films and introducing them to the world.”
Since last year, the Busan International Film Festival established a competition section and held the “Busan Awards” during the closing ceremony, announcing winners for the Grand Prize, Best Director, Special Jury Prize, Best Actor, Art Contribution Award, New Currents Award, BIFF Mecenat Award, and Sunjae Award. Director Zhang Lu’s “Twilight of Luomu” was selected as the first-ever winner of the Busan Award Grand Prize.
Meanwhile, the 31st Busan International Film Festival will take place for ten days from October 6 to 15 around the Busan Cinema Center.
